Officials: 8 Victims of N.Y. Blast Died of Smoke, Burns, Trauma

By | March 19, 2014

Eight people killed in a suspected gas explosion that leveled two Manhattan apartment buildings in New York died of either blunt trauma, smoke inhalation or burns, officials said Monday.

The autopsy results were released as investigators continued to examine the circumstances of the March 12 blast that also left more than 60 injured. All of the deaths were ruled accidental.

Five victims — Griselde Camacho, Carmen Tanco, Andreas Panagopoulos, George Amadeo and Rosaura Barrios — died from combinations of blunt trauma injuries to the head, torso and extremities, said medical examiner spokeswoman Julie Bolcer. Two others, Rosaura Hernandez and Jordy Salas, died from smoke inhalation and burns. The eighth victim, identified on Monday as Mayumi Nakamura, died from burns.

The blast erupted about 15 minutes after someone from a neighboring building reported smelling gas, authorities said. The National Transportation Safety Board, which investigates pipeline accidents, said on March 14 that underground tests conducted in the hours after the explosion registered high concentrations of natural gas.

On Monday, emergency workers continued to sift through debris at the East Harlem site in search of clues that might reveal what caused the blast. The investigation is focused on basement meters and pipes, and on possible ignition sources, such as light switches, officials said.

The NTSB had been expected to begin pressure-testing pipes. An NTSB spokesman declined on Monday to say whether there has been any progress.

Camacho was a Hunter College security officer; Tanco, 67, a dental hygienist who participated in church-sponsored medical missions to Africa and the Caribbean; Panagopoulos, 43, a musician from Greece; Hernandez, 22, a restaurant cook from Mexico; Barrios, 43, the mother of Hernandez; Amadeo, 44, a handyman; and Salas, 22, a restaurant worker. Nakamura, 34, was from Japan.

A fundraising drive has been launched to help those affected by the explosion. The money will support a relief plan that includes a victims’ assistance fund to go toward funeral arrangements, rent and household expenses. The plan also includes counseling and outreach to immigrant communities.

Topics New York

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